The former Freshkills landfill is gearing up to open as a lush park for Staten Island, but one of its other benefits also emerged recently. After Hurricane Sandy tore through the five boroughs, the park demonstrated another important use - as a giant storm surge sponge. Although Staten Island suffered debilitating damage from the flooding, the extent of the wreckage would have been way worse were it not for Freshkills' absorption of some of the waters.